Louis L. McAllister Photographs

Louis L. McAllister photographed people and places near
Burlington, Vermont for 60 years. He was born in Columbus, Nebraska on
October 16, 1876, the son of Julius S. McAllister (born 1841 in Lincoln, VT)
and Rosette Gould (born in Vermont in 1851). Julius McAllister worked as a
photographer and dentist in Washington D.C., Bristol, Vermont and Columbus,
Nebraska. Around 1895, Julius, his third wife Amy, and their children left
Nebraska for the Union Soldiers’ Colony in Fitzgerald, Georgia. By 1900,
Julius and Amy were divorced, and Amy and her stepson Louis were working as
photographers in Thomasville, Georgia.

In 1907 Louis McAllister married Cora Shepard (born about 1872
in Vermont) in Holland, Michigan. By 1910, they were living in Queen City
Park in South Burlington, Vermont, where Louis established a photography
studio. The McAllisters moved to Burlington, and by 1919 they lived at 47 N.
Winooski Avenue. They continued to occupy a summer cottage at Queen City
Park, and were active in the Queen City Park Association, which held
spiritualist camp meetings annually. McAllister conducted his photography
business from home until his death in 1963.

McAllister’s “trademark” was his panorama camera which made him
familiar to all sorts of groups ranging from graduating classes to state
police to summer camp groups. In addition he did print 8 x 10 photos, many
of which document building construction and Burlington Street Department
projects, as well as group and individual portraits.

The L.L. McAllister Collection includes portraits, construction
projects, buildings, businesses and events in the Burlington area covering
the period ca. 1920-1960. The collection also includes photos of street,
bridge, airport and sewer construction and repair, as well as group
portraits of clubs, schools, etc.

A large group of diners gather at tables for a meal. The tables are arranged along the walls of a narrow multi-room area. It appears that folding doors separate the rooms. A head table is seen in the distance. See also mcalA15F04i02

A group of women (and two men) pose with a large banner reading "We're the "top" in Supt. Sinnamon's territory." They are gathered outside on what looks like a commercial building's flat roof top. See also mcalA15F08i03. Photo #2.

This rustic wooden paneled room in a restaurant is where a group of men and women gather for a group portrait. Burlington residents, Bob and Bea Earnshaw in second row seated left side. Photo #4. Undated but may be 1950s. See also mcalA15F05i12, i13 and mcalA15F08i01

This rustic wooden paneled room in a restaurant is where a group of men and women gather for a group portrait. Burlington residents, Bob and Bea Earnshaw in second row far left side. Undated but may be 1950s. See also mcalA15F05i11 and i13

This rustic wooden paneled room (perhaps a restaurant) is where a group of men and women gather for a group portrait. A moose head hangs high on the back wall. Burlington residents, Bob and Bea Earnshaw in second row far left side. Undated but may be 1950s.

A group of men and women gather on in a rustic wood paneled room (perhaps a restaurant). Overhead hangs a large folding tissue paper bell. Appears to be a Christmas celebration as a small tree and Santa Claus decoration are on the head table. Undated.

A large group of men and women gather at a rustic restaurant(?) for a special meal and event. Dining tables are set and decorated with evergreens, candles and a special centerpiece seen at the head table.

A group of men stand in front of what was to become UVM's Royall Tyler Theater on campus in Burlington. It wasn't a theater at the time of this photo. It was a gymnasium. Undated but may be 1920s, 1930s.

This rustic wooden paneled room (perhaps a restaurant) is where a group of men and women gather for a group portrait. Burlington residents, Bob and Bea Earnshaw in second row seated left side. Undated but may be 1950s. See also mcalA15F05i11, i12 and i13.

A group of women (and two men) pose with a large banner reading "We're the "top" in Supt. Sinnamon's territory." They are gathered outside on what looks like a commercial building's flat roof top. See also mcalA15F05i01. Photo #1.

A group of men and women in formal dress gather in a high ceiling wood floor room for a portrait. Most have their eyes closed. Smoke from the flash of the photographer's camera can be seen in the upper right corner of the photo. Undated but may be 1920s.

A gathering of men assemble outside on the steps of an as yet unidentified building, possibly at the University of Vermont. This particular entrance consisting of 4 heavy doors, a dozen or more steps, massive railing, columns, and lamps, seems no longer to exist. The date of the photo may late 1930s or early 1940s. Mc6 is seen in photographer's hand writing indicating his numbering system.

1935 or 1936. A dining hall heavily decorated with crepe paper streamers attached to the ceiling. Tables are elaborately set with food with each having a cloth place mat draping the table covering and a place card. Columns are adorned with streamers and evergreen bows. An all male wait staff stands ready to serve at this Christmas meal. May be 1936 at Mount St. Mary's, located on Mansfield Ave, Burlington, Vermont. See also mcalA11F19i07, mcalB15F12i15, mcalB15F12i16.

A large group of men gather around a leaf expanded wooden table. A large rake of antlers hang on the back wall. The room has a patterned floor covering and a wallpapered or stenciled decoration along the wall near the ceiling. A heavy curtain hangs to the right of the photo. Early part of the 20th century?